Emily, detached from the entire world, was focused on preparing the festive dinner. Only in movies do men on the eighth of March turn into angels and take all the burden off fragile female shoulders. In real life—at best—they won’t forget to congratulate.
Mimosa in an elegant little salad was enthroned in the center of the table, and the doorbell rang. Forgetting her chores, the hostess ran to open the door.
On the threshold stood her mother-in-law Grace Thompson and her husband Alex with huge bouquets of roses.
— Can you imagine, — Alex began indignantly, — I barely convinced her to come, she didn’t want to at all. Come in, Mom, don’t just stand there.
The short woman entered the apartment, quickly shrugged off her coat, and slipped into the living room. She approached the window and froze as if enchanted. Emily, who had become an orphan early, grew worried, walked up to her, and awkwardly hugged her shoulders.
— Did something happen, Grace Thompson? — the young woman asked.
The mother-in-law silently shook her head and hugged her back.
— Don’t worry, Em, everything’s fine.
They sat down at the table. Alex was giving a toast, praising and thanking his women, Emily was doing her best to put more delicacies on her mother-in-law’s plate, but the latter sat detached, lost in her own thoughts.
The woman refused champagne, which was strange, and only listlessly picked at the shrimp salad. A couple of minutes later Grace Thompson turned pale, jumped up abruptly, and hurried to the bathroom. On her way out, she was met by a frightened Emily.
— Are you all right? Maybe food poisoning? — the daughter-in-law asked anxiously.
The mother-in-law shook her head and led Emily to the kitchen, closing the door in Alex’s face, and whispered:
— Em, you see, I’m pregnant, — she said with a sad smile, — the doctor said ten weeks.
The daughter-in-law, clearly not expecting such a turn of events, slid onto a chair with her mouth open.
— How did this happen?
Grace Thompson shrugged:
— I have no idea, I’m not young, after all, fifty-six already! I didn’t think it was possible, and then…
Emily gradually began to recover:
— What are we going to do? Who’s the father, at least?
The mother-in-law shrugged helplessly.
— Steven Nichols, we work together… Or maybe Michael Harrison, our neighbor at the country house, remember?
Seeing her daughter-in-law’s reaction, Grace Thompson put her head on her folded hands and started crying.
— You see, it’s all because of New Year’s, damn it! We had a corporate party, the whole team went to a resort, I don’t remember how I ended up with him after the banquet. Maybe nothing happened, but I don’t remember!
The woman poured water into a glass, wanted to drink, but her hands were shaking so much that the water spilled onto the table.
— And Michael Harrison courted me so beautifully, said such words. We celebrated New Year’s together when I went to the country house, remember?
Emily, having recovered from the shock, nodded. She threw an angry glance at her husband and tried to shoo him away.
Alex had heard everything, but unlike his wife, he never panicked and approached problem-solving exclusively from a practical point of view. The son sat down at the table.
— Well, Mom, you’ve surprised us. What did the doctor say?
Grace Thompson raised her tear-stained eyes and livened up a bit.
— Health is good, I can give birth. Should I, what do you think?
— Why not? — Alex replied. — Especially since Emily and I aren’t giving you grandchildren yet, not everyone should be alone, we’ll help.
— What if something happens to me? I’m not young anymore, how will I manage with a child alone?
— Mom, what are we here for? We’ll help, we’ll raise the child, don’t worry! The main thing is you decide for yourself, we’ll support any word you say.
The mother smiled and fell into thought, and Emily was finally convinced that ten years ago she had married the right man.
Grace Thompson decided not to make hasty decisions and to think longer. She still went to work, changing her outfit to something looser, but in the women’s accounting team, every secret becomes public in seconds.
Soon her colleagues noticed the woman’s changed behavior, constant mood swings, trips to the restroom.
Question after question, and Grace Thompson gave in. She told about the pregnancy to her best friend, in her opinion. But thanks to the employee’s long tongue, the whole team learned the news.
At the end of the week, when Grace Thompson was already about to go home, the boss intercepted her at the exit.
Andrew Lewis looked at her sternly and said coldly:
— Grace Thompson, forgive me, of course, but when I hired you, I didn’t expect the chief accountant to be constantly on sick leave. And now what? Maternity leave? It’s none of my business, of course, but think about it, no husband, age…
The woman said nothing, nodded, and left. The next day was decided to be devoted to cleaning. But the plans were disrupted by a sudden doorbell ring.
On the threshold stood Steven and some unfamiliar woman.
— May we come in? — the woman, without ceremony, slapped Steven on the back of the head. — I’m the mother of this underage Casanova.
Grace Thompson stepped aside, letting the guests into the apartment, but they clearly had no intention of entering. Steven’s mother, without any talk, threw herself at her feet.
— This idiot told me everything about that corporate party, have mercy on the fool, the wedding is soon, and then this… We’ll pay for the operation, just get rid of the child, you’re both to blame!
Grace Thompson pointed the couple to the exit.
— Get out, this is my responsibility! All the best to you!
Slamming the door behind the unkind guests, the woman decided to talk to her daughter-in-law.
— What pigs modern men are, no words! — Emily fumed. — Mom is solving problems for us. A doormat!
Having closed the door behind the unpleasant visitors, the woman hurried to the phone. She desperately wanted to vent.
Grace Thompson stared out the window without blinking. How did it happen that her own child became an unbearable burden? What was the best thing to do? Maybe not complicate life for herself or others? She ended the conversation and began to get ready; only in one place would she get the right advice.
The woman immediately hurried to the church. She climbed the steps, crossed herself, and pushed the heavy carved door. Entering inside, she began to scan the church with her eyes, saw an elderly priest, and approached him. Distracted from prayer, he turned and looked at the woman disapprovingly.
— Come to confess, daughter? — seeing tears in Grace Thompson’s eyes, the priest softened. — Tell me, what happened? Did you do something wrong?
Her thoughts were scattered, not knowing where to start, the woman blurted out:
— I have sinned, holy father.
Grace Thompson rarely attended church, didn’t know how to confess properly, but felt the importance and involvement in her fate of this completely unfamiliar person.
At some point in her story, the priest frowned:
— I won’t give a blessing for murder! It’s a mortal sin.
The woman shook her head.
— I want this child, — she said in a quiet but confident voice.
The priest thought, was silent, then looked straight into her eyes and said with a smile:
— So you’re going to give birth? That’s not a sin, but God’s providence! You’ll give the world another person. Go, don’t worry, you’ve made the right decision. You’ll be a good mother—all your sins will be forgiven. Everything will work out.
Inspired and filled with determination, Grace Thompson returned home. On the very first working day, she wrote a letter of resignation of her own free will and left the annoying team.
On Sunday, she stopped by Alex and Emily’s to say goodbye. She decided to live at the country house to avoid awkward questions, Emily tried in every way to dissuade her, but the mother-in-law was unshakable.
— The air is good there, you understand? And the hospital isn’t far, I’ll register there, and I’ll come here to give birth, I’ve thought everything through.
Alex nodded approvingly:
— Go, Mom, if it’ll be calmer for you, I’ll drive you myself and chop some firewood. We’ll visit often, right, Em?
Six months flew by like one day, Grace Thompson easily endured such a late pregnancy, Emily was choosing onesies for the expected girl, the weather pleased with warmth. On one of those days, the doorbell rang.
On the threshold stood the country house neighbor, Michael Harrison, with a huge bouquet of flowers and a cake.
— Well, are you ready soon? — the man was nervous. — We’re late for the registry office, Gracie might give birth any minute, we need to make it, my daughter can’t be born without a father.
Anticipating Emily’s question, the country house neighbor continued:
— Yes, I know everything, Gracie told me. But it’s my daughter, I feel it in my heart, mine! And if not, anyway.
Emily and Alex hurried to the mother, who was waiting downstairs.
The ceremony went well, the event was celebrated in a small, cozy cafe. In the morning, the newlywed wife started having contractions, the excitement made itself known. The future father in panic ran around the house, getting in the way of packing for the maternity hospital, only Alex kept calm. Despite the early arrival, the baby girl was born healthy.
The family that came for the discharge admired the newborn. The pink blanket wriggled, yawned, and frowned its little face.
Alex cheered up the father swallowing a sedative, Emily admired the baby.
A DNA test confirmed the paternity of the retired military man, Michael Harrison cried with happiness. Emily, with tears in her eyes, turned to her husband:
— Alex, look what happiness! Maybe it’s time for us too?
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